Greater New Orleans

Make 2013 Your Year to Live a Positive Lifestyle

by Guest Blogger Ryan Lowe

Doesn’t
it seem like every time you turn on the TV or get on the computer,
there is always more negative news that just weighs you down. On top of
that, you have your own personal issues to deal with. This “negative
storm” can cause someone to feel stuck, lost and full of anxiety. It is
the fear of the unknown that builds up in our mind and takes over like a
dark cloud. This dark cloud follows us and rains on us, making us
negative in our personal and professional lives. As humans, we sometimes
focus on the negative and stay under that negative cloud that we
created. We must understand that we can walk from under this cloud at anytime, and we have the power to make our days sunny and bright.

I am sharing with you 7 ways that I have found to be the most
effective when attempting to live a more productive and positive
lifestyle along with my Get off Your Attitude Exercise (GOYA-cise) to get you moving.

1. Think Positive

Thinking Positive is probably the most important of the ways that I
can share with you, because you know that everything starts in the mind.
Thoughts turn into feelings, which then turn into actions. If you tell
yourself you can’t do something, you will ultimately find failure. If
you tell yourself you can do it, you have increased your chances of
accomplishing that goal. Keep your mind clear and your thoughts
positive. This way will bring great success to you in your personal and
professional life.

GOYA-cise: When a negative thought comes into your
mind, instantly swap it with a positive one. An example of this would be
thinking about a child’s smile or someone you know. This will keep the
mind clear of any negative thoughts.

2. Get Around Positive People

Stay away from negative and pessimistic people. Surround yourself
with positive people, and you will be more positive! This is a simple
and crucial way in reaching a positive lifestyle. Negative people can
rob you of your energy and your drive. We must learn to get around
people that are like minded, have goals and the ones that have courage
to go forward in life.

GOYA-cise: Think about someone that you respect and has the
positive traits that you want to possess. Try to meet with that person
frequently so that their positive attitude will become part of you.

3. Read and Listen to Positive Information

One of the best ways to create a positive mindset is by filling it
with positive information. Too many times we get our information from
the wrong places. We get focused on the negative news of the world and
it bleeds into our subconscious. We need to learn to be careful on what
we let into our mind. To get out of the negative rut, we need to get in
the habit of picking up an inspirational book, find a positive article
on the web or just listen to a positive inspirational CD. These
positive items will open your mind, encourage, inspire, and teach you
how to create a positive mindset. (Some of my favorite inspirational
authors are Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy and Les Brown)

GOYA-cise: Put a Positive CD in your car, home stereo or in
at your office. Listen to it for the length of the car ride or 30
minutes in your home or office. Try to implement that one new positive
idea that you learned into what you are doing that particular day.

4. Focus on the Future

Too many of us dwell on our past and let it block our vision of our
future. We think about something disturbing that happened to us or we
think about something that someone has told us that upset us, and we
play it over and over like an old movie reel. We need to break this bad
habit and visualize on what we want our future to be. The next time your
past is haunting you, instantly think about something in your future.
Write down your goals and create a vision board. This way you can
always focus and see the positive things you want in life.

GOYA-cise: Make a list of all things that you want in life. Go
online and find it, print a picture of each item. Pin them up on a
board in your office or home where you can see them. Look at this vision
board daily and visualize yourself possessing all of these items.

5. Plan Ahead

Using time efficiently helps to maintain a positive attitude. The
best way to do this is to plan your day and your week ahead of time. We
need to adopt this habit so that we won’t let procrastination take over
and keep us from reaching our goals. The habit of planning and focusing
on your priorities and important tasks will help you accomplish more in
less time. This very act will keep your life in check and help you stay
on track towards your goals and let you know stay aware of your
accomplishments.

GOYA-cise: Each day sit at your desk for ten minutes and map out your next day. This exercise can save two hours the next day.

6. Be Grateful

Take some time everyday to be grateful and thankful for everything
that you have in your life right now. It is easy for us to focus on what
we don’t have or things we didn’t accomplish. Find these great things
and recognize them. The very thought of what you are grateful for will
help you maintain a positive attitude in your life. This habit is one of
the best ways to turn negative thinking into positive thinking
instantly.

GOYA-cise: Write down the top 10 things you are grateful for and read them over at least 10 times daily!

7. Exercise More

Daily exercise will help you improve your mood, along with helping to
against stress and depression. This healthy way of life will keep you
living longer and living a healthier lifestyle. Remember exercising will
also make you feel better about yourself. When you feel better about
yourself, it breeds confidence which will help you in your personal and
professional life.

GOYA-cise: Go for a 30 minute brisk walk on a treadmill or around the neighborhood. This is a great exercise to create positive thinking.

If you follow and implement these 7 life changing ways of life daily,
they will bring you the success and happiness you desire. They will
take you from underneath that dark cloud of negativity and bring you out
into the sunshine of a positive lifestyle. Use the GOYA-cises to improve your productivity and see the positive things like peace and happiness that will come into your life.

“Remember that it is up to you to choose everyday to Get off Your Attitude and to create a positive lifestyle for yourself and others” Ryan C. Lowe

Ryan C. Lowe

Ryan Lowe is a professional
speaker, coach, consultant, and author and has delivered presentations to
companies of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500s, resulting in
higher performance in individuals and organizations. During his career he has
achieved award-winning sales positions and became one of the most-requested
speakers/trainers with Brian Tracy Seminars, The American Sales Trainer
Association, Universal Seminars, and The Productivity People. He has also
served as the vice-president of sales for two financial services corporations
and as a partner in a financial services start-up. He has presented to sales
groups, financial institutions, churches, sports groups, non-profits, schools,
civic organizations, and more.